Conventional high-speed multiplexing systems for providing keyboard entered data to a computer operate on the basis of a keyboard operator generating an input message through a succession of depressions of one or more keys, and then upon completion of the message entry, pressing a transmit, execute, or end-of-message button. Upon receipt of this instruction providing signal, an interfacing unit then provides a signal to the computer indicating that a message is ready and the keyboard from which the message originated. Then in accordance with a predetermined priority system either in the interfacing unit or in the computer, the message is transferred to the computer at an appropriate time. Therefore, as one can appreciate, a conventional system requires that the operator press more than just data-entry keys to input message data to the computer, thus requiring more keyboard hardware, computer software and memory.
As the number of keyboards increases, the greater effect these priority systems and associated waiting periods have on a rapid and economical transfer of data. A system according to the present invention eliminates the need for a priority sampling system and the need for accessing keyboards only when data is entered therethrough. This is effected by a keyboard sampling or multiplexing system in which each keyboard is automatically, continually and sequencially sampled without any requirement for an operator to request access to a computer.